A judge in Washington state has denied the state attorney general’s request to enforce a subpoena against the Archdiocese of Seattle as part of an ongoing investigation into sex abuse allegations. Attorney General Bob Ferguson had issued subpoenas to the Seattle Archdiocese, the Diocese of Spokane, and the Diocese of Yakima, probing whether the bishoprics had used charitable funds to cover up cases of child sex abuse by clergy.
The attorney general’s office alleged that the Seattle Archdiocese had refused to cooperate with the subpoena, prompting the prosecutor to seek enforcement under the state’s Charitable Trusts Act, which mandates transparency for large charitable trusts.
However, King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott ruled on Friday that the attorney general lacks the legal authority to enforce the subpoena against the Archdiocese of Seattle. The judge specifically cited the religious exemption in the Charitable Trusts Act as applicable in this case, according to a press release shared by the archdiocese with the Catholic News Agency (CNA).
The Seattle Archdiocese, in its statement, emphasized its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the healing of those who have been harmed. The archdiocese remains willing to collaborate with the attorney general in a lawful manner.
Seattle Archbishop Paul Etienne had earlier argued in a letter to the attorney general that the state’s charitable law includes a clear religious exemption, limiting the authority of the attorney general. The archbishop expressed concerns that complying with the broad subpoena would jeopardize First Amendment rights and the principle of separation of church and state.
Archbishop Etienne further stated that the subpoena was too extensive and complying with it would require significant time and resources, resulting in unnecessary expenses for both the archdiocese and taxpayers. He made it clear that the archdiocese is not seeking to cover up past sins and is committed to holding abusers accountable.
Following the ruling, Attorney General Ferguson’s office reiterated its position that the prosecutor has the authority under the Charitable Trusts Act to investigate the use of charitable funds by organizations. The office plans to appeal the decision, aiming to ensure a full public accounting of the Church’s involvement in and responsibility for the child sexual abuse crisis.
The Seattle Archdiocese had previously welcomed the investigation, expressing a shared goal of abuse prevention, victim healing, and transparency. It released the names of over 80 sexual predatory priests but not all that they had done in their sexualabuse againstchildren. The archdiocese reportedly had been actively cooperating with the attorney general’s team for months before the legal dispute arose.
